Holdfast for measuring-lines.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

T. N. BADGER.

HOLDFAST FOR MEASURING LINES.

II IIIFII APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

Patented. May 9, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOLDFAST FOR IVIEASURING-LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,352, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed July 18,1908. Serial No. 166,155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS N. BADGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Holdfasts for Measuring-Lin es, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for telnporarily holding the end of asurveyors tapeline to a nail in the driven stake or other point fromwhich a line is to be run, the device being adapted for use as anattachment to the end of a tape-line and having the property of holdingthe end of the tape in such manner as to secure accurate measurement andat the same time of allowing it to be easily loosened and disengagedfrom the nail without the aid of an assistant.

The object of the invention is chiefly to provide a device for holdingthezero-mark of the tape-line to the nail in proper manner for accuratework and having in its structure provision for readily detaching itselfat the pleasure of the workman stationed at the opposite end of thetape, thereby enabling one per son to take measurements from stake tostake with all the accuracy required in surveying without requiring anassistant.

A further object of the invention. is to provide a device or attachmentfor such purposes that can readily be applied to the end of any of thedifferent kinds or descriptions of tape-lines, whether of steel or othermaterial.

The nature of the invention and the manner in which I produce, apply,and carry out the same are explained at length in the followingspecilication, in which the accompanying drawings, representing what Iconsider to be the best form of the invention, are referred to byletters.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents my invention attachedto the end of a surveyors tape-line ready for use. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing the tape-line attached to a driven stake bymeans of my device. Fig. 3 is a top view of the attachment separatedfrom the end of the tape-line.

A flat strip or narrow plate a, about the same width as the tape T, isprovided with clipsbon bothedges'at or near one end standing outward inthe same plane, but having the quality of bending orfolding fromopposite sides over the strip in such manner as to grip the tape andhold the same tightly when hammered or pressed down flat. In connectionwith these clips a pin d, fixed in the strip infront of the clips andfitted to take through a perforation in the tape, secures the partsagainst any possible longitudinal movement tending to separate them inthe direction of the pulling strain thrown upon the part (L. The end ofthe tape T is cut squarely across on the line ofthe zero-marks of thegraduations, and a nick or semicircular recess in the edge is formed, asseen at Fig. 3. This notch lies directly over and in line with anaperture g,'made in the plate a, and the latter aperture, which isprovided for inserting through it the nail or brad N in the stake S, isof such size that the distance from the notched. end of the tape to theedge h of the aperture lying in front of the zero-n1ark coincides withthe diameter of the nail in the stake. A ring or loop at is formed on orsecured to the strip a for conveniently seizing and drawing oil the tapefrom the reel, the strip (I, being prolonged beyond the aperture for thenail for that purpose. Constructed in this form the device forms anattachment applicable to any of the different styles of tape-lines onreels generally used by surveyors and is readily applied to a tape-linealready in use simply by removing the ring or loop with which the tapeis furnished and securing the attachment on the end of the tape in suchmanner that the zero-mark of the graduations will coincide with animaginary line running across the strip behind the front edge of therecess or rest for the nail and extending diametrically through thenail.

As an addition to the beforeunentioned parts I provide a secondaperture 1) in the strip a, also in line with the zero-mark, butsituated to one side of and clear of the edge of the tape, and on theopposite side I form a shoulder 25 at right angles to the body of thestrip and also coinciding with a line 0 0 drawn through the zero-mark onthe tape. This aperture is somewhat oblong, being elongated behind theimaginary line before-mentioned, as seen in Fig. 3. If the end of thetape-line be attached to the stake by placing the aperture p over thenail, instead of using the other aperture it will be found that thetape-line can be disengaged from the nail when the workman is standing aconsiderable distance from the slide by giving a simple twitching orwaving motion to the tape. For ordinary work with a tape-line this second aperture can be used to advantage, especially when using a longtape. The shoulder t provides a ready means of measuring from aplumbline.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The combination with a measuringtape, of a holding device adapted todetachably connect the tape to a fixed nail, and comprising a rigidplate having a fastening means on one end for permanently securingthereto the end of the tape, said plate having an opening in the frontof the end of the tape in line with the zero-mark of the graduations anda second opening located to one side of the edge of the tape. r

2. A holdfast attachment for a tapemeasure comprising a flat plateprovided at one end with clips for engagement with a tape-measure andbeing expanded along one edge so as to extend beyond the tape-measure,and having a hole formed in said edge portion for engagement with anail, substan tially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination with a tape-measure, of aholdfast attachment securedto one end thereof, the attachment being provided with an aperturethrough which may be passed a holding peg or pin, and also With ashoulder 1 extending laterally at right angles and beyond the edge ofthe measure, the shoulder and the said aperture being both ina line withthe zerograduation or mark of the measure, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name to this-specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS N. BADGER.

lVitnesses EDWARD E. OSBORN,

M. REGNER.

